Law centre faces closure

A charity which provides free legal advice to hundreds of people each year is facing closure after losing nearly all its funding. South Manchester Law Centre offers advice and representation on immigration, housing, employment and benefits issues.

A charity which provides free legal advice to hundreds of people each year is facing closure after losing nearly all its funding.

South Manchester Law Centre offers advice and representation on immigration, housing, employment and benefits issues.

But after losing out in bidding processes for council contracts, it now faces closure – with the loss of 15 jobs.

From October, the services it provides will instead be run by the Citizen’s Advice Bureau in conjunction with solicitors’ firms and charities.

Funding for the centre on Stockport Road in Longsight has now been cut completely for advice and representation on employment, housing and benefits issues and by 80 per cent for asylum and immigration case work.

The centre currently has around 520 cases on its books and sees many more people each week in free advice surgeries. It needs around £50,000 a week to operate but will now only receive £10,000.

Paul Morris, an immigration advisor at the centre, said: "We have helped tens of thousands of vulnerable people for whom the centre has been a lifeline. The funding for employment, housing and benefits has been totally cut off.

"We are committed to seeing existing cases to the end or making appropriate provision for referral but may have to close.

"If the Law Centre does not survive people who need this service in future may not get it or could be exploited by private companies."

Mohammed Noor, who lives in Moss Side, first went to the centre for advice 14 years ago and now volunteers there as a translator.

He said: "It will be very difficult for the Somali community to access the kinds of specialist advice we need on immigration, housing or welfare benefits if the Law Centre does not exist.

"In my experience no other agency provides the specialist advice given by South Manchester Law Centre."

But the council says the change of contracts will not affect services after they and the Legal Services Commission (LSC) chose the Citizen’s Advice Bureau during a bidding process to provide advice services.

The CAB will now work alongside housing charity Shelter, solicitors Glaisyers and Platt Halpern and Cheetham Hill Advice Centre.

Known as the Manchester Community Legal Advice Service, it will start to operate from October 14 to offer general legal advice plus advice on debt, housing, welfare benefits, community care and family law.

The council and LSC have also promised nearly £9m investment into the service, which will have six sites across Manchester, over the next few years.

Councillor Glynn Evans, executive member for adult services, said: "This will make it much simpler for Manchester residents to get the help and advice they need, and ensure any legal advice and representation they need is within easy reach."